Nation Series, Edition 4: 1996 Census Product on CD-ROM - A Brief Guide

What is the Nation Series? | Terminology | How to access the Nation Series |  Searching tips | 

What is the Nation Series?

The Nation Series is a CD-ROM product that provides access to basic demographic and socio-economic data from the 1996 Census. In general, data is provided at the federal, provincial, territorial and census metropolitan area levels. Smaller geographical areas, such as census divisions and subdivisions, census tracts, forward sortation areas, and enumeration areas are not included. If you require data for them, please inquire at the Research Help Desk. The Nation Series is accessible on a local area network and can be searched at the Media and Data Centre, the Map Library, the Centre for Newfoundland Studies or at one of the workstations by the Research Help Desk. Staff at any of these locations will assist you in its use.

Terminology


Beyond 20/20: Software designed to help non-specialist users manipulate tabular data.
Becoming widely used by Statistics Canada and other government departments.
Dimension: An attribute or variable on a statistical table, such as, age or sex.
The Nation Series allows up to 8 dimensions per table.
Item: An element in a dimension (e.g., "male" in the "sex" dimension)

How to access the Nation Series

  1. Double-click on the 96 Nation-Le pays icon.
  2. Click on the appropriate language.
  3. Click on Accept to indicate your acceptance of the licence agreement, after which the main screen will open up.

Searching tips

The main screen
The screens are set up like file folders, with tabbed labels at the top. When a folder is available for use, its label is highlighted in black (instead of being greyed out or inactive).

SEARCH: The main screen where you can type the subject matter and/or place.
DATA: Click here to access the data (when enabled, i.e., when the tab appears in black instead of being greyed out or inactive).
ABOUT THE DATA: Displays a list of hotlinks to reference tools like the Census Handbook.
PICTURE IT: Displays reproductions of the census questions or other graphics.
RELATED PRODUCTS: Lists other census products associated with your query.

Executing a basic keyword subject and/or placename search:

  1. Key in the subject keyword (e.g. immigrant) in the query bar enter. If your word(s) only appear in one subject heading, that heading will automatically display below in the QUERY BOX. If your words appear in more than one subject heading, double click on the appropriate heading to move it to the query box. To remove something from the query box, highlight it, then click on the UP ARROW.
  2. Click on the GEOGRAPHY folder to designate a specific level of geography. (Remember that the Nation Series covers the federal, provincial, territorial and CMA levels only.) Warning: As with subjects, the CD sometimes lists geographic levels that aren't actually available on the product.
  3. Click on ABOUT THE DATA to get definitions, abbreviations, etc.
  4. Click on RELATED PRODUCTS to display a list of associated print and electronic products.
  5. If the tables you've selected are available, the DATA folder will be enabled. Click on DATA to open up the list of tables.
  6. Click on the table of your choice and then on SHOW to open up the Beyond 20/20 browser and view your data. (Or you could even double-click on your choice to view the data.) Warning: The browser will open up the table at the national level and not at the geographic area you specified in your search.

Locating data for your specified geographic area:

  1. Click on the down arrow beside the ACTIVE DIMENSION field. Highlight GEOGRAPHY from the list. Note that the GEOGRAPHY cell will turn yellow.
  2. Click on the right arrow beside the ACTIVE DIMENSION field to change the geographic area. Repeat until the specified area appears.
  3. Click on File and Exit if you wish to return to your list of tables retrieved in your search.

Executing a basic browse search from the list of available tables:

  1. Click on the CONTENTS button at the bottom of the screen.
  2. Click on the DATA folder.
  3. Browse the complete list of available tables that are listed alphabetically by title. Highlight the appropriate table, and either double-click on it or click on SHOW to open up the Beyond 20/20 browser and view your data.
    The grey buttons below, position you at a specific part of the alphabetical list. Use them with caution. For example, for labour force statistics, you can click on the J-L button which contains 6 tables whose titles fall in the J-L range. If you click on the D-F button, you will see 4 tables that also pertain to the labour force and whose titles begin with the words "Employed Labour Force . . . . ." thereby positioning them in the E's.

Printing:
Click on the printer icon.

Downloading your table to disk:

  1. Choose SAVE AS from the FILE menu.
  2. Select drive A:
  3. Choose appropriate file type:
    • .txt for a text file
    • .dbf for database format (works with Lotus or Excel)
    • .ivt for use with Beyond 20/20 software
  4. Assign your file a meaningful name (e.g., AGE)
Advanced Data Manipulation Tips

Getting more information:
The red dot on a dimension tile indicates that some extra information (full title, etc.) is available. Right click on the red dot, then left click on "Dimension Summary".

Switching the table dimensions (variables):
Purpose: Tables can include up to eight dimensions or variables. Not all variables can be displayed at one time. Switching the dimensions allows you to change the variables that appear on your table.

Click on the down arrow beside the ACTIVE DIMENSION box to see what the other possible dimensions are.

Position your cursor on the dimension label you wish to make active. Drag it on top of the currently active dimension, then release.

Nesting Table Dimensions:
Purpose: To show one dimension subdivided or broken down by another dimension. For example, you may want AGE AT IMMIGRATION subdivided by SEX.

Press the left button of the mouse and drag the appropriate dimension to the top or bottom edge of the column label (or left or right of the row label) until a thick line or highlight appears.

Drop the tile by releasing the mouse button.

Selecting data from a table:
Purpose: To reduce the amount of data displayed, to copy to another package or to map the data.

  1. Click on the label of the row or column using the left mouse button. It will then be blackened out with the figures appearing in white. (To unmark or de-select the row/column, click on the row/column beneath or to the right of the label.) To mark more than one row/column, keep the Ctrl key depressed while you click on additional choices.
  2. Then click on Item and Show to display your selected data.
  3. To return to the full table, click on Dimension and Show All.

Sorting data along a dimension:
Click on the Sort icon (with a down arrow). Can sort dimensions in alphabetical or numerical order.

Further assistance:
Extensive help files are available by clicking on HELP on the top tool bar. Or ask staff for assistance.

August 5, 2008
Aspi Balsara